BEIJING, March 24 (Reuters) - Apple Inc's ChiefExecutive Tim Cook on Saturday called for "calm heads" and moreopen trade, amid rising fears of a trade war between the UnitedStates and China.
Trade tension between China and the United States flaredthis week when President Donald Trump unveiled plans on Thursdayto slap tariffs on potentially up to $60 billion in Chinesegoods.
China's Commerce Ministry on Friday urged the United Statesto "pull back from the brink", saying it was not afraid toengage in a trade war.
"I'm cognizant that in both the U.S. and China, there havebeen cases where everyone hasn't benefited, where the benefithasn't been balanced," Cook said.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the annual ChinaDevelopment Forum in Beijing, Cook said he hoped "calm heads"would prevail.
The sparring has cast a spotlight on hardware makers such asApple, which assemble the majority of their products in Chinafor export to other countries. Electrical goods and tech are thelargest U.S. import item from China.
In the past year, Apple and other foreign tech firms havegrappled with a string of new regulatory requirements in China,including a controversial law requiring firms to house user datain data centers overseen by Chinese firms.
Last month, Apple officially moved to store keys for itsiCloud data in China, provoking intense criticism from rightsgroups who say the decision makes it easier for Chineseofficials to tap and collect private data.
Despite challenges, the company has sought to expand itsservices in China, its third-largest market, where roughly 1.8million developers use its platform.
"My belief is that businesses should be engaged withgovernments in countries where they are doing business, whetherthey agree or disagree," Cook said.
Cook has come to China several times in the past year, andwas among executives who met Chinese President Xi Jinping lastOctober.
Others attending the three-day forum include the chiefexecutives of IBM Group, Google Inc andQualcomm Inc.
Cook, who this year co-chaired the event, also attended lastyear when he called for China to increase trade and continueopening itself up to the world.(Reporting by Matthew Miller and Cate CadellEditing by Richard Pullin and Clarence Fernandez)
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